1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the creation of panels for use in cabinetry, closet industries, prefabricated structures and recreational vehicles, whether marine, terrestrial or extraterrestrial and the resultant panels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Virtually everything in the furniture and even the construction industry, from desks, cabinetry for kitchens or bathrooms, office furniture, to panel systems for offices, prefabricated structures, cabinetry for the recreational vehicle industry including aircraft, marine and terrestrial vehicles, is manufactured with the concept of assembled panels of wood, plastic or other sheet materials.
The current industry standard for lightweight panels, is size limited, rarely exceeding dimensions of 4′×8′. Other multi-ply panels, if solid core, are generally heavy, and contain formaldehyde glues or other potentially toxic materials. Generally they are not completely biodegradable or recyclable.
In the prior art, many panels are composite structures with a substrate or core of an inexpensive material such as particle board and with exterior surface layers of a wood veneer, plastic or foil. In some cases the outer surfaces are metals. In an effort to reduce the weight of these panels, some manufacturers adopted honeycomb structures or hollow core technologies for the base or core layer.
These techniques resulted in panels of reduced weight. Most panels are made with the facing layers having the grain running in the “long” direction with the core layer having grain in the orthogonal direction.
There has developed a substantial industry in the manufacture of thin lightweight panels which are generally 3 ply with a core of 1/16″ and face panels of 1/32″ thickness that, when combined, result in a ⅛″ panel. Other thicknesses and other combinations are available alternatives. As with other conventional panels, the grain of the face panels is in the “long” direction and the central panel has the grain in the orthogonal or “wide” direction. These panels are widely used in prefabricated structures, mobile homes, recreational vehicles and may even be used in aircraft or marine applications. Layers of 1/32″ and 1/16″ thickness are readily available, but rarely in sheets that are greater than 4′×8′.
However, using the industry standard 4′×8′ panels, to face an interior wall, widths of up to 40′ may be required. This requires that several panels be placed side by side. For a pleasing interior experience, the panels must appear to be seamless. However, the movement of the structure on the highway, during construction or, in the case of aircraft or marine applications, turbulence or wave action, usually results in gaps and cracks where the panels are joined.
What is needed is a process to produce a relatively lightweight panel in lengths greater than 8′ from plentiful materials. Such process should provide panels that can be made of renewable and recyclable materials and which can be fabricated with more or less conventional forming equipment. It would also be desirable if such resultant panels could be made without toxic adhesives or other toxic volatile components and in unlimited lengths.
Known techniques can bond adjacent panels, but panels cannot be bonded “end to end” and retain strength or integrity so that the length of the panel is limited by the availability of veneers in which the sheet with the grain in the long direction is, for the most part, in the 8′ to 10′ range.